One-shots
by HarryPotterForever1997
Summary: Originally written for a Harry Potter page I admin, this is a series of one-shots that I wrote on request. Every chapter signifies a new headcannon. Enjoy!
1. Protection

**AN:** _The first headcannon I ever wrote. Enjoy!_

_- HarryPotterForever1997_

"Molly, what's wrong?" Arthur asked, concerned. She looked up, her eyes stained with tears, her white gown billowing out in the wind, and her bright hair flying around her face. Her knees were clutched tightly to her chest as she leaned back against the wall that separated her from the safety of the roof of the astronomy and the wild danger of the empty space behind it. She pressed back, cowering away from Arthur.  
>"Nothing." She said, in a voice quieter than the softest rustle of leaves. Arthur's face settled into a look of calm.<br>"Then what are you doing at the top of the astronomy tower, bawling your eyes out on a Monday night?" He asked. Molly's face stayed frozen, her expression betraying nothing. He sighed and sat down next to her, both of them staring at the door that had brought them there. "Please tell me Molly." He pleaded. "I don't want you to be like this. Don't you trust me?" Her upper lip quivered on the word 'trust', and her face twisted into an expression of despair. She buried her face in her hands and started crying, shaking violently. Arthur took her in his arms, softly cradling her face on his chest. After a few minutes, the shaking subsided, and she slid her arms up around his neck. He hugged her tighter, wanting to protect her, comfort her, from anything that would dare to hurt her. Arthur intended to always be there for Molly - however hard that would be.  
>"I'm so scared, Arthur." Molly said in between sobs, her voice muffled by Arthur's chest.<br>"Scared of what?" He asked. He didn't pull away so that she could speak freely. He knew that his tight hold was comforting for her. It made her feel protected, valued. Which she was.  
>"I'm scared of everything that's going on right now. I'm scared of losing everyone I love. Mom, Dad, Gideon, Fabian, you...everyone. What if he-who-must-not-be-named attacks? I couldn't bear to lose any of you."<br>Arthur did pull away then, keeping a firm grip on her shoulders. He stared intensely into her golden brown eyes. "I won't EVER let anything happen to you or your family. I promise."


	2. The birthday gift

Ginny wasn't a typical girl. She didn't like make-up and nail varnish and all the rest. In fact, she positively hated it. It was stupid and vain and unnecessarily stereotypical according to her, and no amount of pleading from other people would stop her from turning up her nose at the likes of Pansy Parkinson. And Harry didn't blame her for it. Heck, he was in complete agreement, but it made shopping for her absolute hell. What did you get for a girl that refused to have preferences? Harry considered getting her something neutral - like a scarf or a box of chocolates - but he didn't want to be that impersonal. It was their first Christmas as a couple and he wanted it to be a special one.

Harry wasn't an incredibly picky person. In his words, there were only three things that mattered to him - friends, family, and Quidditch. The last one should've made it easier, but it just jumbled things up. Harry already had ever single Quidditch book/poster that he wanted. In fact, Harry had just about every Quidditch-related thing he wanted, apart from perhaps tickets for the Quidditch World Cup, which were NOT obtainable for Ginny. She could've gotten him a new broom - but she would NOT insult Sirius' memory. The Firebolt may have been old, but it was still at the top of its game and nothing could've coaxed Harry to part with it.  
>That just left friends and family - such immaterial things that it was impossible for Ginny to buy anything related to them.<br>It was possible to make something though. She smiled as an idea slowly began to form in her mind.

"Merry Christmas!" Harry and Ginny said at the same time when the time came to exchange gifts. They both smiled and slowly handed over their respective presents.  
>"You first." Ginny said, smiling. Harry made as if he were about to argue but evidently thought better of it and began to unwrap his gift. His eyes lit up when he saw it.<br>"It's an album. But more than an album. I found all of the photos I could of your everyone that mattered to you and the memories that you treasured, and enchanted them, so now you can step into them, like with a pensieve - you won't be part of anything, but you can observe. Some of the memories aren't very long, but I managed to find extensions on some of them, like the ones with your parents, because I know how much they matter to you." She said, explaining. She didn't want him to think that she'd just found a bunch of photos and put them into an album.  
>"Wow Ginny! How long is this?" Harry said, flipping through the countless pages. It seemed never-ending.<br>"Um...as long as you want it to be actually. You can enchant it to be travel-size or as large as a billboard. I think that I found about 777 pictures, though it may have been more or less..." Ginny said, trailing off because of the way he was looking at her. Extreme shock. And it wasn't clear whether it was the good or bad kind. Oops. "You like it don't you? I mean, I know it's a bit typical, but it took me forever to find all of those pictures, I had to talk to everyone, from Ron to Tonks to Hagrid to Dumbledore, and then I had to pump people for memories, and after that-"

Ginny was cut off as Harry kissed her.


	3. Changing your mind

Lily was crying. James could hear it from his room in the Head girl and Head boy dormitories. He didn't know what had happened, or why she was crying. All that he knew was that she was crying and it hurt him as much as it hurt her. He got out of his bed and quietly made his way to her room. He knocked on the door softly.

"Evans?" He said warily. There was no answer, but he could hear her hastily quietening her sobs. He knocked louder. "Lily?" He said. She was silent. It was the first time that he'd ever used her first name, but it felt right on his tongue - foreign. . . but right. Then she returned the favour.  
>"Come in James." She said.<br>He slowly pushed the door, and it swung open to reveal the standard head girl/boy room, and a very morose Lily sitting on her knees in the middle of her rumpled bed. Her eyes and nose were slightly red from crying, and her hair was tangled and falling in violent waves down her back. This wasn't the demure, disciplined school-Lily, or the fun laughing friends-Lily, or the strict angry James-Lily. This was the sad, vulnerable, sobbing-Lily. And though she didn't look any less beautiful than she ever had, and her strong personality still shone through, James didn't like this Lily. She was sad, and one thing that James would not stand was for Lily to be sad, or scared. Not on his watch.  
>"What's wrong Lily?" James said softly, slowly sitting on the edge of the bed, and staring at her intensely with his hazel eyes. Her bottom lip quivered, but her eyes grew hard as she strengthened her resolve.<br>"Everything." She said in a soft whisper. "And nothing. Oh god James, everything's so messed up." She said closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. James didn't know whether he should move closer or not. He'd never been faced with this situation, where Lily Evans of all people, admitted her problems to HIM, James Potter. He didn't understand what was wrong with him. He was usually so good at these things - at being a friend who was there for his companions, but Lily Evans was a soul that he understood too well for his own good. He knew that the standard response wouldn't work in this case. He needed to listen to her before he reacted - otherwise she would just push him away.  
>"How is everything wrong?" He asked gently, trying to keep his voice level. God, it HURT to see her like this.<br>"I just feel like a hypocrite and guilty right now. I've recently changed my mind about something that's been bugging me for years, and I can't believe that I could've been so horrible about it - oh god James, how could I have been so BLIND?" She said, and buried her face in her hands, trying to sob quietly. The question and the resuming of tears. The time was now. James slowly made his way over to where Lily was crouched in the middle of the bed and took her into his arms. He was having trouble breathing, and not only because she was holding him back so tight.  
>"What did you change your mind about?" James asked her, gently stroking her soft hair. He looked at it as it passed through his hands, amazed at how perfectly beautiful it was.<br>She stopped crying, and pulled back, still holding on tight. James hadn't let go either. He didn't want to. He looked at her with anticipation. Instead, she just said:  
>"James, do you hate me?" He was stunned. He had not expected a question like that. Still, he replied without hesitation.<br>"No."  
>"But why not?" James was even more confused now. Still, the answer was so simple.<br>"Because I love you." He said shortly. For some reason, this made her cry even more and bury her head in his chest again. He patted her back awkwardly. Okay, he knew that it was getting old, but was it really so bad that she was CRYING about it? Come on. "Lily?" He said. "Lily, I'm sorry. Now come on, tell me what's wrong." She pulled back again, and wiped her face with her hands. He still didn't let her go though. He couldn't help but feel as though he NEEDED to protect her. This Lily was still strong and perfect - but she could fall to pieces in a matter of seconds. And James wouldn't let that happen.  
>"So all of those years that I spent hexing you, cursing you, being horrible to you - you just didn't care? It never mattered?" She asked in a low voice.<br>"Of course it mattered!" He exclaimed. She looked startled. "But it never changed my feelings about you. I'm not harbouring a grudge if that's what you're worried about." Her face crumpled. "Please don't start crying again." He said pleadingly. She smiled wryly.  
>"So we're okay?" She asked. And then, in response to his perplexed expression: "There aren't any bad past feelings I need to worry about..."<br>"Of course not!" James said. "But what's wrong Lily? Why are you asking all of this-"  
>"James, do you know what the thing I changed my mind about was?" Lily said, cutting him off. James was startled.<br>"No..."  
>"You." She said abruptly. And then she kissed him.<p> 


	4. Gryffindor

"GRYFFINDOR!" The sorting hat yelled, and a loud cheer erupted from the table sporting the scarlet and gold lion. Scorpius' eyes flew open in fear. Gryffindor? He couldn't be in Gryffindor; his parents would kill him. He remembered his Dad's proud face when he'd shown Scorpius his green and silver Quidditch robes a few days ago. "You have to make the Slytherin Quidditch team. It's great fun, especially when we get to cream Gryffindors."  
>Somehow Scorpius didn't think that doing the opposite would please his dad very much.<br>Slowly, as though his feet were made of lead, Scorpius rose and made his way to the Gryffindor table. He fearfully searched the faces of everyone sitting there, looking for someone who wasn't intimidating or mean. His eyes froze on a girl with red hair and blue eyes. For some reason, he didn't feel the need to search any further. He knew that she was the one he should sit next to.  
>"Hello! What's your name?" She said cheerfully after he flopped down on the seat next to hers.<br>"Scorpius Malfoy." He said in a low tone, the fear trickling through his voice. Her eyes sparked recognition. He hung his head.  
>"I'm Rose Weasley." His head shot up. She was still here, smiling at him. She hadn't made any attempt to move away. But what was more shocking than that was her name. He felt like someone had doused him in cold water. Rose Weasley? Ron Weasley's daughter? The memory of his father's cold expression and his mother's haughty smile while looking at the Weasleys came back to him. He'd failed his parents twice in one day. First he'd ended up in Gryffindor and now he'd made friends with a Weasley. His first day at Hogwarts was NOT turning out to be a good one.<br>His fear must have shown on his face because Rose just smiled knowingly and took his hand.  
>"It'll be okay. I'll help you get through it. I promise."<br>Maybe she'd mistaken his expression for fear of his first day at Hogwarts. Or maybe she knew more than it seemed. But nevertheless, sitting there, holding her hand and looking into her brave eyes and smiling face, Scorpius had never felt safer or happier. Suddenly, he knew that it was all going to be okay. Because she'd said it would be.


	5. I just want you

**AN:** _My first Ronks headcannon._

When Tonks finally woke up, she felt terrible. There was a dull ache in her left leg, and her body felt unnaturally heavy, like she wouldn't be able to move if she tried. She didn't want to try. Her muscles felt too weak, and she felt like she was burning. Heat was radiating from every part of her body and her eyes burned. She looked around slowly, not daring to move her head just yet, but just exploring with her eyes. She was in her room, with the scarlett duvet and belongings scattered everywhere, and the patterned curtains, and the many pictures plastered on the wall. All of the colours made her want to close her eyes again, but she forced herself to look around. When her eyes finally made it to her right side, she had to blink twice to be sure she wasn't hallucinating. Because sitting right by her side was Remus Lupin - how could her peripheral vision have missed that? She must've been more sick than she imagined. He smiled when he saw her look at him.

"You're awake." He said. "Finally, you've been sleeping for three days straight. I was becoming worried." Tonks blinked painfully.  
>"Remus." She said in a strikingly weak voice. "What are you doing here?" A flash of concern lit up in his eyes when he heard her speak. He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead tenderly.<br>"Damn." He swore. Tonks widened her eyes. She'd never heard Remus swear before. Never. He'd always been the goody two shoes that avoided such things. "You're still incredibly warm. How do you feel."  
>"I feel-" Tonks whispered. "I feel like I'm on fire." Remus shook his head.<br>"I don't know what else to do!" He exclaimed loudly, getting up and starting to pace. Tonks winced visibly, her ears protesting at the loud noise.  
>"Sorry." Remus said meekly. "But honestly, I have no idea what to do now. I've tried regular medicine, herbal concoctions - I even got a healer to come and see you! But you're still really sick. What else can I do?" He flopped back into his seat and sighed exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of his nose. Tonks examined him silently, the way that the light caught the various lines and contours of his face. His eyes had large black circles beneath them, and the rest of his face looked lifeless and...tired. That's what he seemed to be. Tired, and worried. He normally looked like this when the full moon approached, but that had passed just over a week ago. What else could it be?<br>"Remus?" Tonks said with the quietest of whispers. His head snapped up immediately. "Have you-" She coughed lightly. "Have you been looking after me." The question seemed to surprise him.  
>"Of course I have." He said.<br>"But how did you even know that I was sick? And why would you want to look after me anyway? After our last conversation, I mean." Remus' eyes became hard.  
>"I know because Sirius said you were sick. And what do you mean 'why would I want to look after you'? What is that supposed to mean anyway?" He looked so angry that Tonks wanted to shrink away.<br>"It's-It's just that after our last conversation..." Remus sighed audibly. Her eyes snapped up to look into his, and she continued in a shaking voice. "It ended so... abruptly. You basically said that you didn't want anything to do with me." She turned her head away from his slightly as she felt her eyes filling with tears. She couldn't let him see them. He'd probably had enough the last time.  
>"Oh, Tonks." Remus groaned. She could hear the pain in his voice. He gently turned her chin to face him. She didn't have the strength to resist. She closed her eyes, feeling the tears trickle over her cheeks. She couldn't look at him, she just couldn't. "I never meant to hurt you, you know that." Tonks nodded silently, biting her lip as she felt more tears escape her eyes. "Oh god, don't cry. Please don't cry Tonks, I hate it when you cry." Tonks tried to stop, but she couldn't. Remus took her shoulders, and gripped them purposefully - as tightly as he could without causing her pain. "Tonks, I didn't say that I didn't want anything to do with you. I said that I couldn't want anything to do with you. And I'm sorry if you misunderstood, but please understand - I can't." The distress in his voice caused her to open her eyes and look sharply up at him.<br>"Yes you can." She said in as strong a voice as she could muster. He closed his eyes and sighed, his shoulders sagging.  
>"No, I can't Tonks. Besides, you deserve someone else. Someone safer, unscarred, younger. You deserve better than a washed-up werewolf with a job that means that there is a possibility of him dying everyday."<br>"No I don't! I don't deserve anyone. I'm not entitled to anything! And even if I was, I'd still choose you - every single time! And I am sick and tired of you telling me what to do! I've made my decision and there is nothing you can do to change it!" Tonks exclaimed, suddenly finding the strength to sit up. Remus took his hands off her shoulders, a defeated look in his eyes. "I love you Remus." Tonks said in a softer voice. "And I don't care about any of your excuses - the age, the danger, the damage. I never have. For me, it's always been you. Only you. And-" Her voice shook. "-if you don't feel the same way, I would prefer for you to just tell me instead of making excuses." Remus' eyes flashed with fury and then settled into deep despair.  
>"I do love you Tonks." Remus began in a defeated tone. Tonks looked away. He took her hands into his own. "I really do. More than you know. But if anything ever happened to you because of me, I would never be able to live with myself. I can't take the risk of harming you by accident. I would never be able to handle that guilt."<br>"But you wouldn't hurt me." Tonks whispered.  
>"You don't know that!" Remus exploded. "You've never been around me as a werewolf. It's terrible. I can't control anything. I'm a completely different person. And even if I wanted to ensure that I didn't hurt you - hurt anyone - while I was in that form, I couldn't. Wolfsbane may hinder my powers, but it doesn't help much. Not enough anyway. Please at least try to understand Tonks. I can't do this. If I-if I hurt you-" Remus trailed off, unable to speak.<br>"Is it easy?" Tonks asked. "Is it easy containing yourself, saying no every time, blaming everything on the werewolf curse?" There was a curious and painful light in Remus' eyes now.  
>"No." He said. "It's torture. It's like cutting my skin open, letting it heal, and then ripping the wound open again. Repeatedly. But I have to do the right thing by you. I can't be selfish - not with you."<br>"Do you know what someone told me a long time ago?" Tonks smiled playfully in response to his confused expression. "That 'right and wrong' is a matter of morals, and opinion. And that morals are the most stupid argument that anyone can use to justify something. Because they're not real reasons, they're made up reasons. They're the result of perceptions, not facts. And that if anyone ever uses moralistic arguments to justify something I disagree with, I should just quote you. And I'd win." Remus smiled, shaking his head. "You aren't just torturing yourself by doing this, Remus." Tonks said in a more serious tone. "You're torturing me too. You're slowly killing both of us by denying us the one thing that we both know that we want most. And that isn't doing right by me - or you. How can it be when it hurts both of us so much? Can you explain that to me?"  
>He took a long time to respond. An incredibly long time. Tonks was looking into his eyes the whole time, and she saw him go through a range of emotions. Amusement, despair, restraint, resolve, pain - such deep pain that it pierced Tonks' heart to the core - reconsideration, internal struggle, and then...something seemed to collapse in his eyes, like walls that he couldn't keep up any more coming down.<br>"No." He whispered.  
>And then he kissed her. And she kissed him back. And everything was perfect and beautiful, because after so long, they could finally be together.<br>Maybe the future didn't look too bright - Dumbledore was dead, Voldemort was steadily gathering an army, and the Wizarding World was gearing up to the biggest war that it'd seen since James and Lily's death. But none of that mattered. Because in that moment, it was just Tonks and Remus, and no matter how bleak the future was, they were going to face it. Together.


	6. The aftermath of death

**AN:****_ Post Dumbledore's funeral. _**_Kind of depressing._

"Hermione?" Ron said, a few steps behind her. Hermione was sitting on the bank of the great lake, staring at its turbid waters darkly. "What are you doing out here?" He asked, settling into a sitting position beside her.  
>"Looking for peace." She said, and then, in response to Ron's amused expression, she said defensively: "It's easier to think out here. Fewer distractions."<br>"That's for sure." Ron agreed, staring out across the lake. "This place is deserted. Where is everyone?"  
>"They went with Dumbledore, I suppose." Hermione said, pulling out blades of grass and rubbing them between her fingers.<br>"Where?" Ron asked. Hermione looked at him sharply.  
>"To the graveyard." She said. Ron looked shocked for a moment, and then his face settled into a look of reluctant acceptance.<br>"Right." He said. "I guess I just- I just forgot her was dead." Hermione smiled darkly.  
>"It doesn't feel like he's gone yet, does it?" She said sadly. "I wonder when it will."<br>"Soon, I suppose." Ron said, "When it hits us. But he'll never be gone, you know." Hermione looked at him curiously. "He'll live on." He said. "In here." He said, putting his hand over his heart. Hermione giggled slightly. "What?"  
>"Your heart-" She said, gently taking his hand. "Is on the left side of your chest." She replaced his hand on the left side of his chest. He looked down smiling, and then his expression darkened. He put a hand over hers. She looked slightly shocked, but didn't take her hand away.<br>"Are you all right Hermione?" He asked, looking right into her eyes. Their faces were just a few inches apart, and he couldn't see any marks of tears on her cheeks.  
>"I'm fine." She said, looking away slightly. Ron put his other hand on her chin, and gently turned her head to face him. She didn't resist.<br>"No." He said, enunciating every syllable. "You're not." Hermione looked annoyed, but she didn't turn away again.  
>"Yes I am." She said obstinately. Ron sighed.<br>"You haven't been crying." He said. Hermione raised her eyebrows.  
>"And somehow-" She said sarcastically. "That equates to a lack in my well-being?"<br>"It's natural to cry." Ron said. "It means you've grieved, that you've let the pain in. Don't tell me this is normal - you wouldn't be sitting here on your own if you were fine."  
>"I'm fine." Hermione insisted. Ron shook his head. They both looked away from each other. After a few seconds, Hermione said: "I can't." Ron looked at her inquisitively. He eyes were closed, and her face was perfectly calm, betraying no emotion. "I can't cry." She turned to face him again. "Because I can't feel anything. I can't let the pain in. And it isn't only because I don't want to."<br>"But you have to." Ron said gently. "I know it hurts, but you have to let the feeling in. You have to grieve."  
>"Why?" Hermione said sharply.<br>"Because it's the only way to cope. Because you can't keep all of that pain inside of you. It's unhealthy."  
>"We're leading up to a WAR Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "We can't keep on stopping to grieve the people that die everyday. Dumbledore wasn't the first, and he won't be the last. We can't let ourselves feel it, otherwise-" She gasped. Her voice had been getting shriller and higher as she went on, more emotion pouring out of her. Tears started to fall from her eyes as she said the last words. "It'll destroy us!" She relaxed a little. "It'll destroy us." she repeated more calmly, and then she turned away from him and put her face in her hands, crying for all her worth. Ron put his arms around her, as she shook and dissolved into a series of cries and sobs for all of those that had died.<br>"It's okay." He whispered. "It's okay."  
>They spent a long time by the lake, her breaking down completely and him holding her and comforting her, while he cried too.<p> 


	7. He called me a-

**AN: Disclaimer: **This is not canon, repeat, this is not canon. I wish it was because I hate almost anything non-canonical, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. =P

Lily stepped back into the Gryffindor common room, feeling numb all over. She couldn't believe what had just happened. When she replayed the events that had taken place just a few seconds ago, she felt...detached, and nonchalant to them, almost as if the images in her mind were stolen memories, someone else's experiences. She knew that deep down, she felt terrible, and that tomorrow wouldn't be easy, but right now, all that she could think about how emotionally drained she was. And how much she desperately wanted to sleep. She took a step forwards, and got the shock of her life as she collided with something solid, something moving, that seemed to be right in front of her, only she couldn't see it. She let out a little scream, and started to reach for her wand, until the thing spoke.  
>"Ouch!" The loud voice helped Lily to identify the thing that had blocked her way.<br>"Potter?" She said, widening her eyes in surprise. "What are you DOING? And how- I mean- How are you-" She stammered.  
>"Invisible?" James said, sliding off the cloak and grinning. "It's an invisibility cloak." He said. "That's kind of the point." Then, noticing her glum, non responsive expression, he said worriedly "What's wrong Evans? Are you all right?" Her eyes grew hard, and she smiled in a non-humorous way.<br>"Yeah." She said, obviously lying. "I'm fine."  
>"What just happened?" James asked, his eyes flitting between her and the door to the common room. She let out a harsh laugh.<br>"You mean you don't know? I thought you were eavesdropping!" James shook his head slowly.  
>"I just came down." He said. "I was making my way to the door when you came in. I didn't want to move in case you heard me, and thought exactly what you just said." He said with dry humour. " Fat lot of good that did, you found me anyway." Lily smiled weakly.<br>"I believe you." She said, still smiling. James expression was one of pure surprise.  
>"Really?" He asked, shocked. Despite her dark mood, Lily laughed slightly.<br>"Yes." She said. James' eyes flashed with joy, and then darkened again.  
>"So, what's wrong?" He asked. Lily's face fell. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He said quickly. Lily shook her head slowly.<br>"It's nothing." She said. "I just had a bit of a fight with Severus." A piercing pain was beginning in her chest. The numb feeling was gone. She had to get out of here. But for some reason, she couldn't stop talking. Not out of her own volition, she continued to confide in James, his concerned eyes seeming to lend some comfort to her heart. "He said that I was a-" She choked on her own words. "He called me a-" A strangled cry escaped her throat, and, to her dismay, tears started coming out of her eyes. She threw her hands up to her face, and tried to stop crying, but she couldn't. It was too much, it was all too much. After a few seconds, she felt James' strong arms enclose her in a tight hug, and she leaned into him, letting him hold her as she sobbed in grief of a friend that she'd lost forever.


	8. You've always understood me

**AN:** _This couple isn't canon at all, but I did write this on request. I hope you like it anyway._

"Luna?"  
>Luna Lovegood turned around to see who'd called her. It was Neville, tentatively walking towards her, with an inquisitive expression on his face.<br>"What are you doing out here?" He asked, stopping beside her.  
>"I'm watching the sun set." She replied, turning back to face the trees.<br>"...from here?" Neville asked, seeming confused at her choice of 'watching the sunset' from the thick forest.  
>"Yes." Luna said shortly. Then, catching his baffled gaze, she added: "It's when the forest is most beautiful."<br>"Really?" Neville asked. "I would've thought that it was most beautiful at sunrise."  
>"It is beautiful then too, but the sunset's something else. When the forest begins to get darker, you see all of the animals return to their homes, and spot the nocturnal ones venturing out to move about. It's like the swapping of two different worlds, but in such a subtle way that most people miss it. It's beautiful." She said.<br>"I can understand what you mean." Neville said. "Is there another reason that you like watching the sun set in the forest?" He asked gently, sensing there was more to the story. Luna turned to Neville then, a watery smile on her face as her eyes slowly filled with tears.  
>"The last thing my mother did, before she died, was watch the sun set in the forest. She used to do it every evening. And I suppose...I suppose...I like doing it because it makes me believe that I could imagine how she felt right before she died. Calm and serene, possibly even-" She broke off, as if she'd realised that she wasn't meant to be saying such things. She hastily dried her eyes and faced the trees again. "You must think I'm a weirdo." She said. "This morbid habit I have."<br>Neville slowly reached out and took Luna's hand. She looked down at their interlaced fingers in shock, and then up at his face.  
>"There's nothing weird about it, Luna. It's just something you need to do." He said in a soft voice, gazing meaningfully into her eyes. Luna's face broke out into a happy, grateful smile.<br>"You've always understood me." She whispered, stepping into his arms.  
>"And I always shall." Neville said.<p> 


	9. Terrible at keeping secrets

"Hello beautiful." Scorpius said, coming up behind Rose and sliding an arm around her waist. She jumped and spun around, resting her hands on his chest and finding his face inches from hers.  
>"What are you DOING here?" She asked panickedly, trying to escape his arms. "There are parents all around, they'll see!"<br>"Don't worry, both of our families are in the Great Hall." Scorpius said in a low voice, pulling her closer again. "And besides, I couldn't just ignore you, now could I? It's your birthday!" Rose rolled her eyes, smiling.  
>"I wouldn't have blamed you if you had, it's too risky for us to be together now, with parents swarming the place." She said.<br>"Yes, well, I've told you, they're in the great hall. Besides-" He said, flashing one of his disarming smiles. "Aren't you glad I'm here?" Rose sighed, and leaned into his chest, relaxing.  
>"Yes, I am." She said in a tired voice.<br>"Are you alright?" Scorpius asked, concerned, one hand stroking her hair, and the other the small of her back.  
>"Yeah, I'm fine." Rose said into his chest. "I'm just tired. I had loads of work to do this morning, since this evening's booked, and I spent the whole day trying to think up ways to sneak away when my parents visited." She lifted her face out of his chest and looked up at him. "I missed you." She said meaningfully. "I know that it's for the best, keeping our relationship a secret from everyone, but...it hurts sometimes, knowing that I can't see you as often as I want to. Especially today. I missed you." Scorpius smiled, and leaned down until their noses were touching.<br>"I missed you too." He whispered, and then they kissed, slowly releasing all of the tension and stress that they'd felt at not being able to see each other on her seventeenth birthday. When they pulled apart, she rested her head on his chest again, resuming their earlier position.  
>"I love you." Scorpius whispered serenely, and then opened his eyes wide in shock. "I-I mean-" He said stuttering. Rose lifted her head and looked at him with a pleasantly surprised expression on her face.<br>"I said I love you." Scorpius said with conviction. "I know that it hasn't been that long since we took the leap of faith and became something more than just best friends, but...it's the truth. I love you Rose Weasley." Rose smiled with glee, her eyes lighting up.  
>"I love you too Scorpius Malfoy." And then she kissed him again.<br>"Well well well." A familiar voice said a few seconds later. "What do we have here?" Scorpius' blood ran cold. He and Rose broke apart instantly, turning their heads to face their worst nightmare.

Draco Malfoy.

"Is this some kind of joke Scorpius?" Draco asked hostilely, dropping the niceties. "Are you actually romantically involved with...with HER?"  
>"No...no." Rose squeaked, stepping away from Scorpius. "This was just a...just a dare, that's all. Scorpius and I despise each other, really." She started to walk away, but stopped when she realised that Scorpius still had hold of her hand.<br>"Yes Father." He said coldly. "I am." Draco's expression changed from one of anger to one of cold fury. Rose shook her head frantically.  
>"No!" She protested. "He's just pulling your leg, I swear. Scorpius, let me go!"<br>Scorpius turned to Rose, and gazed at her deeply. "I meant what I said, Rose. I love you." He said, and then, turning back to his father. "And no one can change that. Not even you."  
>Draco gave a cry of rage and whipped out his wand. Scorpius reached for his, still holding Rose's hand.<br>"How dare you?" Draco whispered, infuriated, as he lifted his wand to Scorpius' chest.  
>"NO!" Rose yelled, stepping in front of Scorpius. Draco's face twisted into a malicious smile.<br>"Sectum-" He started to say, but his incantation was interrupted by a voice behind Rose and Scorpius yelling "Levicorpus!".  
>His body immediately suspended itself in mid-air, his wand clattering out of his hand.<br>"Langlock!" The voice yelled, rendering Draco unable to speak.  
>Scorpius and Rose turned around to see James Sirius Potter blowing on the tip of his wand, grinning.<br>"You guys are really terrible at keeping secrets, you know that?" He said.


End file.
